EPL Chrome Plant Draft Scoping Report
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Eastern Platinum Limited (EPL) Chrome Plant Draft Scoping Report 19 March 2018 Alta van Dyk Environmental Consultants cc Postnet Suite # 745 Private Bag X 1007 Lyttelton 0140 Tel: +27 12 940 9457 Cell: +27 82 782 4005 [email protected] Eastern Platinum Limited (EPL) Chrome Plant Draft Scoping Report 19 March 2018 Project Ref - 005-032 Prepared by : The perusal, use, copying or storing of this Report is intended for the use of the recipient. As such, the information may be legally privileged and the unauthorized use is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. The opinions expressed in this Report have been based on the information supplied to Alta van Dyk Environmental Consultants cc (AvDEnvironmental) by company officials. The opinions in this Report are provided in response to a specific request from company officials to do so. AvDEnvironmental has exercised all due care in reviewing the supplied information. Whilst AvDEnvironmental has compared key supplied data with expected values, the accuracy of the results and conclusions from the review are entirely reliant on the accuracy and completeness of the supplied data. AvDEnvironmental does not accept responsibility for any errors or omissions in the supplied information and does not accept any consequential liability arising from commercial decisions or actions resulting from them. Opinions presented in this report apply to the site conditions and features as they existed at the time of AvDEnvironmental’s investigations, and those reasonably foreseeable. These opinions do not necessarily apply to conditions and features that may arise after the date of this Report, about which AvDEnvironmental had no prior knowledge nor had the opportunity to evaluate. VERSION CONTROL Alta van Dyk Environmental cc Author(s): Draft ____________________________ Project Director: Alta van Dyk Approved: ________________________________ Position: Director: Environmental Legal and Technical Date: 19 March 2018 PURPOSE OF THE DOCUMENT The scoping process is the first phase of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as required by the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and aims to identify significant issues and determine the scope of the subsequent Impact Assessment phase. The scoping process culminates in the compilation of a Draft Scoping Report (DSR) (This Report) for public review, which includes a description of the environmental issues, potential impacts, potential alternatives and a detailed plan of study for the EIA phase. The scoping phase is the first phase in obtaining Environmental Authorisation from the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (READ) and outlines a plan for the Environmental Management Programme Report (EMPr) and EMPr consolidation. The Scoping Report aims to: Provide an outline of the proposed project; Provides an outline of the proposed process to be followed; Identify all possible environmental impacts of the proposed project; Identify and address concerns raised by Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) and stakeholders; Identify potential alternatives for the proposed project; and Focus on significant environmental impacts for further study in the Environmental Impact Report. With the completion of the Scoping Phase, all comments received will be included within the Final Scoping Report and attached as a component of the Stakeholder Engagement Process. The Draft and Final Scoping Report will be submitted to the relevant authorities: Department of Mineral Resources and the North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (NWREAD), for comment and decision making. It should be noted that stakeholder consultation is an on-going process which continues into the EIA phase of the project. Screening Phase No EIA Required EIA Required Scoping Phase We are here in Determine the scope of the EIA the process Environmental Impact Assessment Analysis of the impacts Determination of mitigation measures PARTICIPATION PUBLIC Decision making Development Not Approved Development Approved Appeal Implementation Environmental Management Plan Implemented Project: Draft Scoping Report Page ii YOUR COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT SCOPING REPORT The Draft Scoping Report is available for a 30 day public comment period from 19 March 2018 to 23 April 2018 at the following public places: Public Place Locality Physical Address Contact Details 317 Erf 014 572 3611 Marikana Public Library Marikana Marikana 18 Murray Avenue 012 252 3121 Brits Post Office Brits Brits Hannelie Ryan Lonmin EPL Offices Marikana EPL 014 571 2399 Matshediso Matshedi Lonmin EPL Hostels Marikana EPL 014 571 4445 Bapong Community Health Next to Bapo Primary School Bapong 012 245 1237 Centre Skoolplaas Street, Bapong Stand 0864H Segwaelane Clinic Brits 012 245 1162 Segwaelane, Brits Unit 3698 Offices of Alta van Dyk Centurion 4 Garcia Peak Road 012 940 9457 Environmental Consultants Midlands Estate Website: www.altavandykenvironmental.co.za The methods of commenting during the public review of the Draft Scoping Report are the following: Completion of the comments sheet enclosed within the Draft Scoping Report as part of the Background Information Document (Annexure A); Additional written submissions directly to Alta van Dyk Environmental Consultants cc; and Comments by post, e-mail, fax or telephone. DUE DATE FOR COMMENT ON THE DRAFT SCOPING REPORT WAS 23 April 2018 Comments were required to be submitted to the Project Manager: Alta van Dyk Alta van Dyk Environmental Consultants cc Postnet Suite #745 Private Bag X 1007 Lyttelton 0140 Cell phone: +27 82 782 4005 Tel: +27 12 940 9457 Fax: +27 86 634 3967 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Project: Draft Scoping Report Page iii Contents 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1 1.1 Company Details 1 1.2 Independence of the Environmental Assessment Practitioner 2 1.3 Properties 3 2 Detailed project description 5 2.1 Existing Operations 5 2.2 Proposed New Infrastructure 6 2.3 Life of Project 6 2.4 Locality 6 3 alternatives considered 11 4 LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND 13 4.1 The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) 13 4.2 National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act no. 107 of 1998) and National Environmental Management Amendment Act, 2008 (Act No. 62 of 2008) (NEMA) 13 4.3 Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002) 15 4.4 The National Environmental Management: Waste Act (Act 59 of 2008) (NEM:WA) 16 4.4.1 Waste Classification and barrier requirements 16 4.5 National Environmental Management Air Quality Act, 2008 (Act 39 of 2008) 17 4.5.1 Dust Fall-out 17 4.5.2 Regional Air Quality Management Plan 18 4.6 National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) 19 4.6.1 GN704 Requirements 20 4.7 Other legislation 23 5 ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS QUO 24 5.1 Topography 24 5.2 Climate 24 5.2.1 Temperature 25 5.2.2 Evaporation 26 5.3 Geology 27 5.3.1 Upper Critical Zone (UCZ) 27 5.3.3 UG2 Chromite Layer 28 5.4 Soils 28 5.4.1 Agricultural Potential 29 5.4.2 Land Use 29 5.5 Flora 30 Project: Draft Scoping Report Page iv 5.5.1 Rare, Endangered and Protected Species 31 5.5.2 Alien Invasive Species 31 5.6 Fauna 32 5.6.1 Rare and Endangered Species 32 5.7 Air Quality 32 5.8 Groundwater 33 5.9 Surface Water 33 5.9.1 Catchment Area and Characteristics 33 5.10 Heritage 36 5.11 Noise 37 5.12 Visual 37 5.13 Socio-economic 37 5.13.1 Population Density 39 5.13.2 Age and Gender Distribution 39 5.13.3 Household Income 39 5.13.4 Language 39 6 possible environmental impacts 40 6.1 Construction Phase 40 6.2 Operational Phase 40 6.3 Decommissioning and Closure Phase 40 6.4 Cumulative Impacts 41 7 Impact Assessment Methodology 42 7.1 Impact Assessment Methodology to be used 42 8 Plan of Study for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 44 9 Public Participation Process 48 9.1 Notification of I&AP’s 48 9.1.1 Notification Letters 48 9.1.2 Site Notices 49 9.1.3 Newspaper Advertisement 49 9.2 Stakeholder Engagement during Scoping and EIA Phase 49 10 Conclusion 51 11 Undertaking by EAP 52 12 References 53 Project: Draft Scoping Report Page v Annexures Annexure A: Stakeholder Engagement Report Project: Draft Scoping Report Page vi Tables Table 1.1: Contact Details ................................................................................................................................ 1 Table 1.2: Lonmin – Mining Authorisations ..................................................................................................... 2 Table 1.3: Contact Details - Environmental Practitioner ................................................................................. 3 Table 1.4: Specialist Team ............................................................................................................................... 3 Table 1.5: Property Information ...................................................................................................................... 4 Table 2.1: Outside Co-ordinates ...................................................................................................................... 7 Table 3.1: Alternatives as provided through NEMA ...................................................................................... 11 Table 3.2: Alternatives for the proposed new Chrome Plant ........................................................................ 11 Table 4.1: List of Activities applied for .........................................................................................................